Effect of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga on cold pressor response in healthy young adults

Abstract

Background: Stress is the much underestimated and invisible pandemic affecting humans and is the underlying cause of many disorders such as essential hypertension, angina, and insomnia to name a few. Stress affects the various systems of our body adversely including autonomic nervous system. Cold pressor test (CPT) is a simple and well-documented laboratory test to evaluate the sympathetic autonomic functions. Yoga is one of the best and cost-effective non-pharmacological therapies to combat stress. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to compare the cold pressor response in non-yoga practitioners and Sudarshan Kriya Yoga practitioners. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 140 subjects, randomly divided into two groups: Control group of 70 volunteers and intervention group of 70 volunteers. CPT was conducted for all the participants at the beginning of the study. Intervention group practiced Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) for a duration of 6 months. CPT was conducted for intervention and control groups at the end of the 2nd month and again at the end of 6 months of duration study. Results: No significant change was observed in cold pressor response in the controls at the end of 2 months and 6 months of study duration, whereas the cold pressor response was significantly less in the study group after 2 months and 6 months of practice of SKY. Conclusion: This implies that the SKY practice can significantly decrease stress-induced changes in cardiovascular parameters by shifting the cardiovascular autonomic balance toward the parasympathetic side.